Residual symptoms and signs after untreated acute optic neuritis. A one-year follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
To study the symptoms and signs one year after optic neuritis.


METHODS
Seventy population-based untreated patients, (44F, 26M; median age 35 years, range 14-48 years) were eligible for study, but the 11 bilateral cases were excluded. Among 59 patients participating in a one-year follow-up of the visual function, 58 answered a questionnaire.


RESULTS
At follow-up 59% of the patients complained of visual impairment, though 49% of these patients had a Snellen visual acuity of 6/9 or better. The affected eyes showed decreased visual acuity in 34%, decreased contrast sensitivity in 63%, an abnormal score in 40% with the Lanthony D-15 desaturated panel, and in 13% with the Ishihara test, prolonged latencies of VEP in 58%, and decreased amplitudes of VEP in 41%.


CONCLUSIONS
All tests except for VEP correlated significantly to the degree of perceived visual impairment. Subjective visual complaints and more sensitive tests than visual acuity should be used to evaluate the visual function following optic neuritis.
Frederiksen
J L
JL
Department of Neurology, Glostrup University Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Sørensen
T L
TL
Sellebjerg
F T
FT
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*